According to a recent report by El Desmarque, Manchester City are interested in acquiring the services of Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona. However, the Citizens would have to pay upwards of €100m if they are to convince the Spanish champions to part ways with their prized asset (via El Desmarque). The same source has also claimed that the French winger is keen on a switch to the Etihad Stadium as he wants more playing time on the field.
Dembele’s Recent Struggles At The Nou Camp
Dembele has endured a tough start to this campaign after missing a lot of games due to injury and suspension. The 22-year-old has only managed to score one goal in seven appearances for Barca this term across all competitions.
However, he is not a guaranteed starter even when he is fit and available for selection with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann ahead of him in the Nou Camp pecking order. Furthermore, the recent emergence of Ansu Fati and Carles Perez has also added more competition for Dembele.
Thus, a change of scenery could be a move welcomed by the Frenchman as he tries to reignite his career in European football. Since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017, the Vurnon-born wide player has gone on to feature in 72 matches for the Catalan outfit, scoring 19 goals while creating 17 assists on all fronts. He has also represented France in 21 international games and netted two goals for his nation thus far.
What Will The French Dazzler Add To Guardiola’s Team?
Dembele is blessed with incredible pace, which allows him to make some dangerous runs with the ball out on the flanks. He excels when taking on his marker in a 1v1 footrace and can link up play accurately with others around him. However, the French attacker needs to add more end product to his game if he wants to break out as a world-class player in his position someday.
The Barca rising star has struggled with injuries recently, but he would hope that he can prove his fitness at a new destination away from Catalonia. Pep Guardiola could be the perfect manager to get the best out of Dembele’s talents. Man City can afford to spend big on a player who is a star in the making. Therefore, it makes sense for the Citizens to splash the cash and bring Dembele to the Etihad in the future.
Dembele has all the attributes to succeed in the Premier League as long as he can stay injury-free and improve his game with each season.
